Joseph Lauer

Canton Police Department — Canton, OH

Felonious

End of Watch June 14, 1928

Age 32

The Vigil Panel 55 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Patrolman Joseph Lauer was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man suspected of robbing a service station. He encountered the subject at the intersection of Dewalt Avenue and 3rd Street, NW, where the two exchanged shots. Patrolman Lauer was fatally wounded but was able to wound the suspect. The subject was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. The suspect was convicted of Patrolman Lauer's murder and sentenced to life in prison on October 12, 1928. He was paroled on August 26, 1960.

Survivors

Patrolman Lauer was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-347EAA39
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Lauer served with the Canton Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Canton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Lauer.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Canton Police Department

Location Canton, OH

Platform Identity cpd.stark.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 14, 1928

Age 32

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Paroled in 1960

Patrolman Joseph Lauer is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Canton Police Department, 5 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.

Canton Police Department

of 7 officers

71.4% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious